2/28/09

Just a sidenote (or six)

Posted on Saturday~February 28, 2009

I have to be sure to clear up some things before I share more of my recent thoughts on motherhood. (Read: I'm paranoid sometimes.) I'll get back to my mysterious dream that I've now played up way too much in my next post, but some things have been bothering me. SO I'm selfishly getting them off my chest.

First of all, in my last post I was not referring only to stay at home moms. When I talked about accepting motherhood and embracing the selflessness and sacrifice of it, I was simply referring to a state of mind in general and my own personal journey. I happen to be a stay at home mom, but I used to be a working mom so I'm very sensitive to that perspective. I would never want to come across as if I've forgotten that there are mothers who work outside the home as well as in it. I don't really even know why I'm explaining that. I just had this gut feeling that I should. So I did.

Next, I need to say that I was working on that last post before I read the one that's very similar to it on Conversion Diary. Jennifer's is different than mine in that she shares more about natural family planning, something I'm still pondering and didn't write about. But her post also talks about the acceptance of this motherhood journey and the freedom there is in realizing it's not just for a time. (I was shocked at the timing of our two posts and their simularities and felt a little scared that it would appear I was copying her.) Can you tell I want to be clear that the timing was a coincidence?

And lastly, I've been blown away by how many posts I've read as of late that have helped me work through things I'm contemplating. I LOVE when that happens. If you're someone who loves to think through all things motherhood, give these a read. You won't be disappointed:

As I mentioned, why my life is better since becoming open to life by Jennifer at Conversion Diary. This blog is always so well-written and thought-provoking. I appreciated her thoughts in this post more than I can say. Oh, and she's having a baby on Monday!

Woman is Life by Jessica at one wild and precious life. This post just blew me away. Jess has a tendency to do that. It speaks of things beyond what we generally think of as motherhood, and is exactly what's been bumping around in my heart as I consider all that motherhood means.

A Mother's Reach by Charrette at Divergent Pathways. This sweet blog friend of mine took my breath away as she wrote about the connection a mother has to her children. It's just plain beautiful!

And over on The Antics of the Three 22nds, a mother shares her thoughts on embracing the good and the bad in motherhood, and contemplates trying to find balance.

Frog and Toad are Still Friends by Beck. I tried to narrow down my favorite Beck mothering posts and I couldn't do it. I like them all too much. Beck contributes on 5 Minutes for Parenting every...Tuesday? I believe it's Tuesday... She has a way with words and speaks her heart and mind in a way that simply resonates with me. It's so relatable and refreshing. So yeah, I'll just send you over to the whole dang blog. (and I don't know why the font is so big, it just won't stop doing that.)
_______________

"When we are young, we think of "mother" being a person who is needed by her children. When you are a mom you realize how much you need them to be the best version of yourself you can be. And sometimes, even when you think you have had to learn and grow and change *so* much, another one of your kids starts to teach you new things and you realize you have more sharp edges that need rubbing off. We need them to reveal the diamond of a woman that we all are underneath--but only if we let it happen."
- Heidi Ashworth

SO there you have it. A Saturday post filled with paranoia and linky love. You're welcome.

20 clicked right here to comment:

Anonymous said...

Oh Heather, this is exactly why I love you. You have the most giving, nurturing heart and acknowledge the best in everyone else. Please acknowledge it in yourself. Your blog reaches me with every post. I am more grateful to you than I can express.

With love and gratitude,

Laura

Rach@In His Hands said...

I love ya, friend....paranoid and all. :-)

Annette Lyon said...

I knew what you meant. :) Love what Heidi said.

Too many links, not enough time . . . sigh . . .

Melanie Jacobson said...

Your random sidenotes here makes me want to reiterate once more, that I really, REALLY enjoy you. You are such a cool chick.

Kimberly Vanderhorst said...

I love how in the bloggisphere, we so often seem to write in tandem with each other. I often see similar posts on the blogs I often read, not because of mimicry, but because we are all such kindred spirits.

Randi said...

I love that quote from Heidi. Now I have to go check them all!

Jessica Stock said...

You are just. so. sweet. Not because you linked to me, (but thank-you!), but because you are just a kind soul, everything you write speaks it! I love the quote by Heidi, and the other links of course. And yes, isn't it wild how so many blogs are speaking about where we are at right now? I love that, must be that womanly intuition!

Keyona said...

You are so funny and sweet!

Muthering Heights said...

Yes, but the paranoia and linky love are quite endearing. :)

jmt said...

You and your paranoia! :) You communicate exactly what you want to say, I feel...you shouldn't double guess it. Thanks for linking up mommy posts. I will read once my mommy time is one for the day and all is put to bed. Including Hubs!

Kate Coveny Hood said...

That last part (from Heidi) is exactly what I said about my special needs son - all of my children really. I need them far more than they could ever need me.

Mrs.Naz@BecomingMe said...

Sometime re-explaining is good--more so for the one explaining, but that peace of mind is needed. Excelent post

Kazzy said...

Accepting motherhood is so so crucial to be happy in the role. And accepting it without the martyr tendencies. I have had to work on that- it is a real thing. I can tell from the way you write about it that you love your identity as a SAHM. And one day when your kids get to be grown up and they lean down to rest their chins on the top of your head, and they tell you they love and appreciate you it all will have been worth it.

Kazzy said...

Off topic, but lu-huv the haircut and photo. Very 1930s chic!

JCK said...

You are refreshingly honest. And I love that about your blog.

Love that Heidi Ashworth quote!

And YES, love your new photo up top! Lovely.

tracey.becker1@gmail.com said...

You're funny. I get paranoid when I write a similar post to someone else, too.

Gotta love Beck...

Mammatalk said...

Read this yesterday and had to come back to read all the links!
:-)

Heidi said...

Ah, heck, now I'm leaking at the eyes--you quoted me, little ol' me! That touches me more than you can know. Thank you! (And as for the writing the same thing accidentally--it is bound to happen. I get paranoid about that too and hope the "other" writer understands that is just happens . . .)

Lisa @ Crazy Adventures in Parenting said...

Ok, you know what? I think you're just "in tune" with those around you. Seriously. I mean, either that, or your like our twins, or something (depending upon how many, since more than two couldn't be twins...)

What I'm saying is, you do that Out of the Mouth of thing along with me, and then this post with Jennifer (which, when I read, I didn't see similarities, really). Coincidence and like minds, etc etc. I think that's awesome. Do you know how awesome that is, how you pick up on those vibes like that? I do that too. Kind of eery at times, though.

So, stop being paranoid, silly goose, and embrace the vibes. You are just amazingly in tune. Or are we in tune with you? Oooh.. deep thoughts.. or I'm just becoming cuckoo at this late hour...

charrette said...

I think the synchronicity is amazing too. And you know what Jung would say...there are no meaningless coincidences. The Universe must be so hard at work, aligning all these thoughts and hearts.

I loved what Kimberly said about kindred spirits.

And speaking of synchronicity, LisAway posted something very similar to this that very same Saturday. Like minds, linked hearts. It's all good.
And you are a favorite, always.

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